Help with cherry tomatoes!!!

14 years ago

HELP!! This is my first year growing cherry tomatoes. They are overtaking us. Does there come a point where you clip the tops off. There doesn't seem to be anyway to prune them. I sell to a chef and caterer and thought of adding cherry tomatoes to the list of produce. They are doing really well just crazy!!! all over the place. I have about 6 varieties, (I think about 50-60 plants),did the florida weave (what a mess that is) Everytime the husband and I go and look at them we say what a mess - how can we fix it. I guess we go with what we have this year but any ideas to help with our planning next year would GREATLY appreciated. Also other ideas for trellising? Thanks

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Comment (1)

mulio
14 years ago
The first suggestion would be to grow determinate cherries which will work better with the weave system you are currently using. Mountain Belle is one such variety. Determinate cultivars will hold up better (firmer and probably better crack resistance) but will also limit choices of colors and flavor.

If you want to take things to the next level, woodshed with some cultural information about cultural techniques used in greenhouses (even if you arent growing in a greenhouse/hoophouse) or hydroponic systems. Here you can learn about systems of production like a "limited truss cropping" where you remove the growing point and concentrate/limit production to a certain number of trusses only. You may have to adapt that to cherries as that is used mostly for heirloom beefstakes (it concentrates their flavor but more importantly it makes up for the difference of the lack long term cropping ability of heirlooms vs hybrids). Limited truss systems can also help overcome cracking problems.

A good resource for in depth information would be a book by Dr Lynette Morgan (professor of horticulture at Massey University in New Zealand). You can purchase this book or obtain it from an interlibrary loan (NCSU's DH Hill library has it).

Author: Morgan, Lynette, 1970-
Title: Hydroponic tomato crop production / Lynette Morgan.
Published: Tokomaru, N.Z. : Suntec, 2008.
ISBN: 9780473132248 (pbk.) 0473132249 (pbk.)
Call Number: SB349 .M65 2008

She also has written a number of articles for various trade magazines.
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Help with cherry tomatoes!!!

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mulio

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